Wednesday, April 29, 2009

This is Solomon's seal (Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum'), just now beginning to flower. These pictures were taken April 28, 2009.

This is a horticultural variety of Polygonatum, the Solomon's seal that is common in our Indiana woodlands is a little bit different, that is Polygonatum biflorum. Polygonatum odoratum is native to the Old World.

The first picture is between the Hort greenhouse main entrance and Marsteller St. The second picture is another patch of Solomon's seal close by, behind the Horticulture building.

Variegated means that white stripiness to the leaves, sometimes plants have this form.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

This is a hawthorn tree, at the SE corner of the Horticulture Building. It's just starting to flower. As the season progresses you'll notice that different plants come into flower at different times, and the hawthorns start to flower after you see the plum trees and the redbuds flowering. You can tell which trees are hawthorn trees from far off because the white flowers are in clusters and not scattered thoughout the tree. The flower clusters of the hawthorn are called corymbs, so now you know, don't go around calling them umbels. This particular tree is a downy hawthorn (Crataegus mollis). I know because there's a sign under it that says so. You find hawthorn trees out in the wild in places like woods' edges and fencerows. It's hard to tell one species from another out there, so when you find them just call it a hawthorn or Crataegus.

This tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) is on the east side of the Horticulture Building, on Marstellar Street. The top picture shows the new leaves appearing in spring. Last year's brown seed cones are still visible on the twigs. In the winter when all the leaves are down on trees everywhere you can tell which ones are tulip trees by looking up in the branches and these seed cones are there.

The tulip tree is Indiana's state tree. If you go to Cold Springs Road in Indianapolis about every tree all up and down that road is a tulip tree. They are old enough to have been there since the tulip tree was designated the state tree in 1931.

Monday, April 27, 2009

This is wild ginger (Asarum canadense). It's a common thing to find in Indiana woodlands. It is growing in the Horticulture Gardens by the sidewalk approaching the greenhouse building entrance. Look under the leaves to find the odd brown flowers close to the ground. The flowers are that way because they are meant to be pollinated by insects crawling to the flowers.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

This is shooting-star (Dodecatheon meadia). It is just now starting to flower. It is native to Indiana woods and prairies. It's a little harder to find in the wild than some plants, but this one is easy to find, it's right behind the Horticulture Building. Picture taken April 22, 2009.Link to Dodecatheon meadia:

This is bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora). This is near the greenhouse at Purdue Hort Gardens but it is another one of our Indiana wildflowers that you can see blooming right now out in the woods. Usually in the woods it's not in compact clumps like this though, more often you see individual plants here and there. Picture taken April 20, 2009.

These are Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica). A chilly wind was blowing when the picture was taken, it took several shots to get it so the flowers weren't blowing in the way of the sign. An hour before this it was a warm sunny day but by the time I started taking pictures a cold rain had started. Very typical of Indiana weather in April. Later even a few ice pellets fell mixed with the rain. Picture taken April 20, 2009.

Mertensia is native to our Indiana woodlands and of course you can find bluebells like these blooming wild in the woods right now too.

This blog will show you what is growing at the Horticulture Gardens at Purdue. You can see these plants for yourself at the Hort Gardens, they are behind the Horticulture Building on Purdue campus, just next to Marstellar St.